Patrick Hart

Patrick Hart is a Professor of Biology at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, where he has been a faculty member since 2005. He also contributes to the Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Sciences (TCBES) Graduate Program. His career spans field research, Peace Corps service, and NSF-funded postdoctoral work.

• Undergraduate: Aquatic Biology, University of California at Santa Barbara (1985)
• PhD: Zoology, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (2000)

Research Focus: Behavioral ecology and conservation of Hawaiian forest birds, habitat dynamics, bioacoustics for ecological monitoring, dendrochronology of Hawaiian forests, and disease ecology of avian malaria. His lab collaborates internationally and employs cutting-edge technologies like the Google Perch Algorithm and ornithological radar.

Recent Contributions include developing machine learning tools to track bird population trends, with a 2024 publication in Frontiers in Bird Science on species call density estimation. His lab co-created the Manu Minute radio series to educate the public about Hawaiian birds.

Outreach & Teaching: Leads undergraduate and graduate research opportunities in the lab, emphasizing bioacoustics and field ornithology. Teaches courses like Biostatistics, General Ecology, and Tropical Island Ecology.